Explaining that the Light which is the food of the spirit becomes the food of the saint's body, so that it (his body) also becomes friendly with the spirit (according to the saying of the Prophet), “My satan hath accepted Islam at my hands.”

گرچه آن مطعوم جانست و نظر ** جسم را هم زان نصیبست ای پسر

Although that (Light) is the food of the spirit and the (spiritual) sight, the body too partakes of it, O son.

گر نگشتی دیو جسم آن را اکول ** اسلم الشیطان نفرمودی رسول

If the devilish body had not become fond of eating it, the Prophet would not have said, “The devil accepted Islam.”

دیو زان لوتی که مرده حی شود ** تا نیاشامد مسلمان کی شود 290

How should the devil become a Moslem until it drink of the sweet food by which the dead is made living?

دیو بر دنیاست عاشق کور و کر ** عشق را عشقی دگر برد مگر

The devil is passionately in love with the world, blind and deaf; (but this) love, no doubt, may be cut off by another love.

از نهان‌خانه‌ی یقین چون می‌چشد ** اندک‌اندک رخت عشق آنجا کشد

When it tastes the wine from the cellar of clairvoyance, little by little it will transfer its love thither.

یا حریص االبطن عرج هکذا ** انما المنهاج تبدیل الغذا

O thou whose belly is greedy, turn away thus (from the world): the only method is change of food.

یا مریض القلب عرج للعلاج ** جملة التدبیر تبدیل المزاج

O thou whose heart is sick, turn to the remedy: the entire regimen is change of disposition.

ایها المحبوس فی رهن الطعام ** سوف تنجو ان تحملت الفطام 295

O thou who art kept in pawn to food, thou wilt escape if thou suffer thyself to be weaned.

ان فی‌الجوع طعام وافر ** افتقدها وارتج یا نافر

Verily, in hunger there is plenteous food: search after it diligently and cherish the hope (of finding it), O shrinker.

اغتذ بالنور کن مثل البصر ** وافق الاملاک یا خیر البشر

Feed on the Light, be like the eye, be in accord with the angels, O best of mankind.

چون ملک تسبیح حق را کن غذا ** تا رهی هم‌چون ملایک از اذا

Like the Angel, make the glorification of God thy food, that like the angels thou mayst be delivered from vexation.

جبرئیل ار سوی جیفه کم تند ** او به قوت کی ز کرکس کم زند

If Gabriel pays no attention to the carcase, (yet) how should he be inferior in strength to the vulture?

حبذا خوانی نهاده در جهان ** لیک از چشم خسیسان بس نهان 300

What a goodly table is spread in the world! But it is quite hidden from the eyes of the vile.

گر جهان باغی از نعمت شود ** قسم موش و مار هم خاکی بود

Though the world should become a delightful orchard, still the portion of the mouse and the snake would consist of earth.

انکار اهل تن غذای روح را و لرزیدن ایشان بر غذای خسیس

How the corporealists ignore the food of the spirit and tremble with anxiety for the vile food.

قسم او خاکست گر دی گر بهار ** میر کونی خاک چون نوشی چو مار

Its (the vile creature's) food is earth, whether in winter or in spring; thou art the lord of creation: how is it thou eatest earth like the snake?

در میان چوب گوید کرم چوب ** مر کرا باشد چنین حلوای خوب

The wood-worm in the midst of wood says, “For whom (else) should be such fine sweetmeat?”

کرم سرگین در میان آن حدث ** در جهان نقلی نداند جز خبث

The dung-worm amidst (all) that pollution knows no dessert in the world but filth.

مناجات

Prayer.

ای خدای بی‌نظیر ایثار کن ** گوش را چون حلقه دادی زین سخن 305

O God who art without peer, show favour! Since Thou hast bestowed on (our) ear this discourse as an ear-ring,

گوش ما گیر و بدان مجلس کشان ** کز رحیقت می‌خورند آن سرخوشان

Take hold of our ear and draw us along to the assembly where the joyous revellers drink of Thy wine.

چون به ما بویی رسانیدی ازین ** سر مبند آن مشک را ای رب دین

Forasmuch as Thou hast caused a waft of its perfume to reach us, do not stopple the head (mouth) of that wine-skin, O Lord of the Judgement!

از تو نوشند ار ذکورند ار اناث ** بی‌دریغی در عطا یا مستغاث

Whether they are male or female, they (all Thy creatures) drink from Thee: O Thou whose help is besought, Thou art stintless in giving.

ای دعا ناگفته از تو مستجاب ** داده دل را هر دمی صد فتح باب

O Thou by whom the unspoken prayer is answered, who bestowest at every moment a hundred bounties on the heart,

چند حرفی نقش کردی از رقوم ** سنگها از عشق آن شد هم‌چو موم 310

Thou hast limned some letters of writing: rocks have become (soft) as wax for love of them.

نون ابرو صاد چشم و جیم گوش ** بر نوشتی فتنه‌ی صد عقل و هوش

Thou hast scribed the nún of the eyebrow, the sád of the eye, and the jím of the ear as a distraction to a hundred minds and understandings.

زان حروفت شد خرد باریک‌ریس ** نسخ می‌کن ای ادیب خوش‌نویس

By those letters of Thine the intellect is made to weave subtle coils (of perplexity): write on, O accomplished Calligrapher!

در خور هر فکر بسته بر عدم ** دم به دم نقش خیالی خوش رقم

At each moment Thou shapest beauteously pictured forms of phantasy, suitable to every thought, upon (the page of) non-existence.

حرفهای طرفه بر لوح خیال ** بر نوشته چشم و عارض خد و خال

On the tablet of phantasy Thou inscribest wondrous letters— eye and profile and cheek and mole.

بر عدم باشم نه بر موجود مست ** زانک معشوق عدم وافی‌ترست 315

I am drunken with desire for non-existence, not for the existent, because the Beloved of (the world of) non-existence is more faithful.

عقل را خط خوان آن اشکال کرد ** تا دهد تدبیرها را زان نورد

He (God) made the intellect a reader of those figured characters, that thereby He might put an end to its contrivances.

Comparison of the Guarded Tablet, and the perception there from by every individual's mind of his daily fate and portion and lot, to the daily perception (of the Divine decree) by Gabriel, on whom be peace, from the Most Great Tablet.

چون ملک از لوح محفوظ آن خرد ** هر صباحی درس هر روزه برد

Like the Angel, the intellect receives (reads) every morning its daily lesson from the Guarded Tablet.

بر عدم تحریرها بین بی‌بنان ** و از سوادش حیرت سوداییان

Behold the inscriptions made without (use of) fingers upon non-existence and the amazement of the madmen at the blackness of them.

هر کسی شد بر خیالی ریش گاو ** گشته در سودای گنجی کنج‌کاو

Every one is infatuated with some phantasy and digs in corners in mad desire for a (buried) treasure.

از خیالی گشته شخصی پرشکوه ** روی آورده به معدنهای کوه 320

By a phantasy one person is filled with (desire for) magnificence and turns his face towards the mines (of precious ore) in the mountains;

وز خیالی آن دگر با جهد مر ** رو نهاده سوی دریا بهر در

And, (inspired) by a phantasy, another sets his face with bitter toil towards the sea for the sake of pearls;

وآن دگر بهر ترهب در کنشت ** وآن یکی اندر حریصی سوی کشت

And another (goes) into a church to perform religious exercises, while another (betakes himself) to sowing in his greed (for gain).

از خیال آن ره‌زن رسته شده ** وز خیال این مرهم خسته شده

Through phantasy that one becomes the waylayer (destroyer) of him who has escaped (unhurt); and through phantasy this (other) becomes the salve (deliverer) of him who has been (sorely) wounded.

در پری‌خوانی یکی دل کرده گم ** بر نجوم آن دیگری بنهاده سم

One loses his soul in the invocation of demons, while another sets his foot upon the stars.

این روشها مختلف بیند برون ** زان خیالات ملون ز اندرون 325

He (the observer) sees that these modes of action in the external world are diverse (since they arise) from the various phantasies within.

این در آن حیران شده کان بر چیست ** هر چشنده آن دگر را نافیست

This man (engaged in some occupation) is amazed at that man (occupied with something else) and says, “What is he about?” Every taster denies the other (whose taste is different).

آن خیالات ار نبد نامتلف ** چون ز بیرون شد روشها مختلف

Unless those phantasies were incongruous, how did the modes of action become diverse externally?

قبله‌ی جان را چو پنهان کرده‌اند ** هر کسی رو جانبی آورده‌اند

Since the qibla (the true object) of the soul has been hidden, every one has turned his face to a (different) quarter.

Comparison of the different practices and the various aspirations (of mankind) to the disagreement of those who at prayer-time endeavour to find the qibla (direction of Mecca) when it is dark, and to the search of divers (for pearls) at the bottom of the sea.

هم‌چو قومی که تحری می‌کنند ** بر خیال قبله سویی می‌تنند

(They are) like folk trying to find (the direction of the Ka‘ba) and (each) turning in a certain direction which they fancy is the qibla:

چونک کعبه رو نماید صبحگاه ** کشف گردد که کی گم کردست راه 330

When at dawn the Ka‘ba appears, it is discovered who has lost the (right) way;

یا چو غواصان به زیر قعر آب ** هر کسی چیزی همی‌چیند شتاب

Or like divers under the depth of the (sea)-water, every one (of whom) picks up something in haste:

بر امید گوهر و در ثمین ** توبره پر می‌کنند از آن و این

In hope of (getting) precious jewels and pearls, they fill their bags with that and this;

چون بر آیند از تگ دریای ژرف ** کشف گردد صاحب در شگرف

When they come up from the floor of the deep sea, the possessor of the great pearls is discovered,

وآن دگر که برد مروارید خرد ** وآن دگر که سنگ‌ریزه و شبه برد

And (also) the other who got the small pearls, and the other who got (only) pebbles and worthless shells.

هکذی یبلوهم بالساهره ** فتنة ذات افتضاح قاهره 335

Even thus in the Sáhira (place of Judgement) a shameful overwhelming tribulation will afflict them (the followers of phantasy).

هم‌چنین هر قوم چون پروانگان ** گرد شمعی پرزنان اندر جهان

Similarly, every class of people in the world are fluttering like moths round a candle.